Spark plug



Jim 16, 1925. 1,542,268

c. E. PARKERTON SPARK PLUG Filed Sept. '7, 1923 WITNESS! Patented June 16, 1925.

ctannncnnnwiin'n rnia i'innrcnjor"Bananas conn nc'rtc'ur;

- sr ankrnoa To all whom it mdy corncern:

lie it 1 known that 1,: GLARENGE E. PAR-KER: Tonya citizen of the aUnitecbStates,:residing at D-arnbury, "in i the :county of: F airfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Spark Ring, of flwliich ."t-l16 i0llowing is a speci ficationlai This invention irelates :to ,a' ispa'rlr ;'plug for internal combustion engines, wliich is provided with (a removable terminal :element rfor theupurpose (if-preventing th'e accumulation of soot or carbonww hicliwould reduce the BifiGIGHCY'OIE the spark plug Tliezobjecta-of a'the invention is torprovide a sparkplug of this type which will'be of a practical andseconcmi'cal construction, and in whichthe spark gap willalso be of the correct width at the moment the spark occurs. I

With the above object in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, 0011] bination and arrangement of parts which will be more particularly explained in"connection with the accompanying drawing, in

' which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the spark plug constructed in accordance with my iii-v vention. I

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section thereof. Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the body member which is adaptedfor connection with the spark plug hole in the engine.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of a spacing sleeve, which constitutes parts of opening in the engine cylinder. The inner end of the body portion is adapted to project within the cylinder, and is formed into a. plurality of fingers 12 separated by slots 13 to permit a portion of tl1e fuel charge to enter the inner end of thebody member 10. The inner sides of the fingers 12 form a cup-shaped recess or cage, within which ed, .as at =18, to receive a theinsulating inemher 161is formed with enlarged ;portion 20, the ledges of "WlllClI are preferably provided with the usual (metallic isi eceived. ainetallic rball lat, which is adapted to constitute oneof tlie'electrodes;

The,outer--end ofth'e bodyportion 10 is enlarged to' form a shoulder ,:15, against which seats aninsulating member 16 ofgporcelain or'tlie like, which has a metallic core projecting inwardly therefrom to for nthe other electrode, The outergend of the body portion bushing 19,-and

gaskets 21 and 22, which areiclamped Bee- IQ is also internally"thread,.

tweenithe shoulder 15;and -'llll'8dbt' .sllling,il9..

[The bases. off tlie fin'gerse123are iforined with shouldersj23, and a spacing sleeve 2a is received between these shoulders and the enlarged portion 20 of the insulating member 16. The inner end of this spacing sleeve is thickened, as at 25, and provided with slots 26 adapted to register with the slots 13 between the fingers 12. The fingers formedby the slots 26 have their inner surfaces concave, as shown at 27, and when the spacing sleeve is in position within the body portion 10, these surfaces '27 form a con-t ,tmuation of the inner surface of the ball cage, and constitute v a seat against which the ball 14: is adapted to rest, thus limiting the inward movement of the ball and form ing a spark gap ofthe proper width between it and the electrode 17.

In the operation of my invention, when the fuel charge is placed under compression the pressure of the gases will force the ball 14 inwardly against the seat 27 to the posi tion shown in dotted lines in Figure .2. In the usual operation of an internal combustion engine, the spark takes place at or near the moment of greatest compression,

and at this time the ball 14 will form a perfeet contact with the seat 27 formed on the inner end of the sleeve 2-1, which is grounded, and the width of the spark will be accurately determined. The relative length of the electrode 17 and the spacing sleeve 24 is so determined as to produce a spark of greatest etiiciency, while the movement of the ball 14 back and forth under the impulses of the fuel charge during exhaust and compression will keep the spark plug entirelyfree from any accumulation of soot or carbon, which might interfere with its ef- 'movable Within the ficiency. It will also be noted that the insulating member 16 may be easily removed, and in case it becomes cracked, it may be replaced at a slight expense without replacing the other parts of the spark plug.

lVhile I have shown and described specifi cally one form of spark plug with which my invention may be used, it will, of course, be understood that this is merely for the purpose of illustration, and that many modifications may be made in the various parts thereof, as well as in the relation of the invention thereto, without departing from the principles of the invention as embodied in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a spark plug, a substantially cylindrical metallic body externally threaded to trode, said fingers being formed with internal shoulders, and a sleeve rigidly held between the insulating member and said shoulders with its inner end limiting the approach of the ball toward the other electrode, said sleeve being removable from the body portion when the insulating member is removed therefrom. o

2. In a spark plug, a substantially cy lindrical metallic body portion terminating at its inner end in spaced fingers forming a ball cage, a ball movable Within the cage and forming one electrode, an insulating member removably secured inthe outer end of the body portion and having a metallic core constituting the other electrode, said fingers being formed with internal shoulders, a sleeve rigidly held between the insulating member and said shoulders with its inner end thickened and slotted to form fingers, the inner faces of which are concave and adapted to form a continuation of the inner surface of the cage, providing a seat for the ball to limit its approach to the other electrode.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signa ture. r

CLARENCE EDWARD PARKERTON. 

